That afternoon Malcolm went to the lean-to and inspected the improvements to La Belle Sauvage. The tarpaulin of coal-silk was as light and impermeable (he tried it) as Mr van Texel had said, and the clips to attach it to the gunwales were easy to work and firmly fixed. It was water-green in colour, like the boat herself, and he thought that when it was in place he and his vessel would be practically invisible